Identification means and method



0. W. OLSEN.

IDENUHcmoN MEANS AND METHoD.

APPLICATlON FILED FEB. 6,1920.

1,372,036. Patented Mar. 22, 1921.

i JI J7 g fl@ t WITNESS av ATTORNEYS UNITED PATIENT OFFICE.

OSC-AR W. OLSL-N, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA., ASSIGNOR OF ONE-FOURTH TO WILLIAM S. ADAJIIS AND ONId-IJOURTI-TO D. CLARENCE GIBBONEY, BOTH OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA., AND ONE-FOURTH TO HARRY N. BUTLER, OF

BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 22, 1921.

Application filed February 6, 1920. Serial No. 356,643.

To all 107mm it may concern Be it known that I, @scan W7. Unsinn, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of Philadelphia, county of Philadelphia, and State of lennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Identification Means and. Methods, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, forming a part thereof.

The invention relates to an identification device and the` secret placing of it in certain movable objects, some of which are hereinafter mentioned, so that it cannot be destroyed and enabling the owner to positively identify his property when it has been taken from his possession.

The very frequent theft of automobiles has made it necessary to devise some means whereby a stolen automobile may be readily identified. The identification marlrs heretofore utilized on automobiles, as for example, by casting a number in the engine casting, or securing a stamped plate to the automobile body, are open to view and are easily destroyed or modified by the thief to avoid identification.

in object of my invention, therefore, is to provide an identification means or device that may be concealed in any suitable part of the vehicle in such a manner that it would be practically impossible for any one, particularly a thief, to locate the same. lt is also an object of my invention that the identifying device comprise identification data, and that arecord thereof be secretly lrept, as by an insurance company insuring the automobile, so that in the event of the theft of an automobile, the records may be referred to by a proper ol'licer of the insurance company, who, following such record, may locate the concealed spot where it is believed the identifyingr device may be placed in order to determine whether or not the automobile suspected of theft is in fact the one sought for.

`Other objects of my invention will appear more fully in the following specification and from the drawing.

. One manner of employing my invention is illustrated in the drawing, in which Figure l is a view` partly in section of a part of an automobile; Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section of a capsule including the identification data; Fig. 3 is an illustration of the sheet of paper containing the identification matter; and Fig. 4: is a transverse section taken on the line 4.-4 of Fig. 2.

Referring more particularly to the drawing in which similar reference characters are used to designate the corresponding parts of the several views, I have shown parts of an automobile representative of any part that may be selected for the purpose desired, and in the illustration shown, the parts comprise a door l provided at its lower edge with a cross piece or sill 2 adapted to close over the body sill 3 of the automobile. Beneath the sill 3 and secured thereto, in any suitable manner, is the chassis 4;, from which may be supported the bracket 5 secured to the chassis by means of rivets 6. Upon the free end of the braclretmay be supported a ruiming' board 8 secured to the end 7 by means of bolts 9 and l() in the usual manner. rIhese parts are selected mainly for the purpose of illustration, but I do not consider myself limited to the selection of these particular parts, as any part of an automobile, as for example, parts of the engine, transmission, differential, or other permanent parts of the vehicle, such as the body, frame, steering post, and so on.

My invention relates more particularly to a provision of a recess or recesses in any selected or suitable part of the automobile, such as the recess l1, l2, or 13, respectively located in the sill 2 of the door, the body sill 3, and the bolt 9. In one or more of these recesses I locate or insert a capsule la which may be of the usual gelatin composition, although such capsule may be made of any other material, such as metal, compositions, or the like. In the capsule I place a roll of paper l5 upon which is entered the identification data, such as is shown in Fig. 3 of the drawing. After locating the capsule in the recess, I may then insert packing material i6, of a fibrous nature, such as cotton, or the like, and. I then close or conceal the opening of the recess with a moldable sealing substance or material 17, such as smooth-on, composed of putty, iron ilings, and a suitable substance that will permit the same to harden and set in place, as well as a suitable coloring matter, and which also may be the supporting brackets tor the identical to the surface siuroundirg` the opening of the recess. After the recess is sealed'in Vthe manner above incicated, the

surface may then be suitably coated colored, or otherwise treated, so that the 'particular spot where the recess is located may not be distinguished from the surrounding surface of the part in which the recess is provided. ln this way it will be impossible for any one, not knowing the exact point where the recess is located, to locate the' same and change the identification data inserted therein.

Vihile l have illustrated one 'term of my invention and the manner in which l may employ the same, it is to be understood that l do not consider the same limited to the particular details illustrated, but that the identifying, device above described may be located in any part of the automobile, as for example, recesses may be bored or drilled in the metal parts of the engine, the magneto, in the steering,` post, in the steering,` wheel, in ind shield, inthe transmission casing, in the spokes oi' the wheel, or any part desired. lt is, of course, intended 'that no two automobiles will have the same points of location ior the identification device. By my invention the scheme will be followed by providing' each automobile with entirely diierent points of concealment for the identification device, and records thereof kept in the secret archives of the insurance company, one of the oicers in the insurance company selecting they point of concealment for placing thereinthe identification device without disclosure to any other person regarding the exact position where the particular device is placed, in a particular automobile. As, for example, the record may indicate the f name and make ot the automobile, its owner,

date ot sale or transfer, and the exact spot or spots where the identication device or devices may be found in that particular automobile. Such indication may be made, as for example, as follows: so many inches from thel lower hinge of the right hand forward door and midway the thickness oic the lower sill thereof, or so many feet and inches from the rear end of the body sill and midwaiy the thickness thereof, or the second inner bolt from the rear end of the running` board and in the lower end oi1 said bolt.

When an automobile is stolen and reierenceV is made to the records et the insurance company for that particular make and type of car, the record will indicate that the identiication data` oie that automobile will be locatedfin the particular spot as indicated above, and ii' .a oar of the type mentioned is found and inspected, the proper oiiicer of the insurance company may locate the point of concealment in the manner above indicated,

and with a prick punch, breuk the scalinor material l?" and access to the recess iuay bc had `lor the purpose ot extracting' the cupsule l5 containi desired data sheet. lt may bc also convenient to provide not only a single idcntiiying means in cach car, but any number in different points .so that iit the ingenui ol" the thief is such that it he .find one ident jing device, either by accident or otherwise, thc chance of his lindthe others will be extremely small and remote, and the provision oi jrwo or inorc points ot concealment vould aid in insuringl against successful theft.

Tillhile i ha disclosed my invention with -nce to an automobile. it is a ticular rei', to be understood, however, that my invention may be ot equal utility Yfor identifying other movable objects, such as boats, launches, aeroplunes, machinery, trunks, hand baggage, and similar objects. lt is also to be understood that l do not consider the same limited to the particular details illustrated in the accompanying drawing and described herein, but that other forms and methods of carryingr the same out may be adopted without departure from the spirit olf the invention and vthe scope ot thc appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what l claim and desire to protect by Letters Patc nt of the United States is:

l. The combination with a part ot un automobile provided with a small recess therein, or a capsule placed in said recess, identifying,` data inclosed within said capsule, cotton or similar fibrous material packed in said recess between the opening of said recess and said capsule, and moldable substance hermetically closing` said opening iiush with the surface oi said part, and havingJ an outer surface matching the surface surrounding' said opening. i

2. 'The method of concealing identifying` data in an automobile, which consists in providing` a part ot the body of an automobile with a small recess, placing,- an identification sheet in a capsule, inserting said capsule in said recess, inserting yicldable packing muterial in said recess against said capsule, 'then hermetically closing the opening with sealing material, and providing" the same with a smooth surface flush with and oi a color to match the surrounding surface of said part.

3. The combination with any suitable part of an automobile provided with a recess, o means for identifying said automobile placed in said recess, comprisingu capsule and means having identificationdata in said Capsule, packing,r material in said recess or maintainingT said capsule from relative movement, and sealing material completely closingsaid recess, said scaling material being provided with a surface having a finish similar to that of the surface sur rounding said recess.

4. The combination with any suitable part of an automobile provided With a recess, of a device for identifying said automobile placed in said recess, comprising a small container, means having identification data in said container', fibrous packing in said container for maintaining said container from relative movement, sealing material for hermetically sealing said recess, said sealing material being provided with a surface similar in finish to the surface surroundin said recess.

5. A evice for identifying an automobile comprising a capsule, containing a roll of paper upon which identification data are placed, inserted and sealed in a secreted recess provided in any suitable part of an automobile, packing material in said recess for maintaining said capsule from relative movement, and a moldable substance, adapted to set and harden, sealing the opening of said recess and concealing said capsule, packing material and recess, said sealing substance being provided With a surface finish substantially with that of the material surrounding said recess` for completely concealing the location of said device.

In Witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 5th day of February, 1920.

osoan W. oLsnN. 

